Telling Him
by thebluecheat
Summary: Jess is finally willing to admit she has feelings for Nick...just not to, you know, Nick.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Telling Him

**Author:** thebluecheat

**Spoilers:** Everything up through 2x05 to be safe.

**Rating/Warnings:** PG/K+

**Word Count: **6062 (all 3 chapters)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own New Girl, but if I did, you can bet that Nick and Jess would get married and make babies. And Cece and Schmidt would never have broken up, because I may have shed a few tears over that. But I don't own NG, so…

**Author's Notes:** This is my second New Girl fic - it's a three-parter where Jess finally owns up to her feelings for Nick, but is having a hard time with the idea of actually telling him. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

An outsider might find it a little bit strange that Nick was happy to help Jess with her Sam issues.

Hell, Winston lived with them and he thought it was completely messed up for Nick to help Jess have sex with Sam, even if it was now limited to just giving her that weird mix CD (which was constantly blaring from Jess' room at night). It was that much more messed up that Nick was creeping around outside her room when it was playing ("What the hell, man?")

Schmidt, on the other hand? Totally fine with it. But he was still wearing whales, so.

Cece - while not technically an outsider, but still living outside the apartment – did think it was weird, and told Jess so in no uncertain terms over a late lunch on a Saturday afternoon. "What is he now, your gay boyfriend? Because that's the only situation in which it would be normal for a guy to give you a CD to have sex to WITH ANOTHER MAN. Unless it was Schmidt – that I could understand. But it wasn't a Kanye CD, was it?" she asked, sitting across from Jess at their favorite café.

Jess sighed. "Cece, Nick and I just have a complicated friendship that involves him giving me sexy mix CDs."

"But friends do not lurk outside your door listening to you have sex, and Winston told Schmidt he saw Nick do exactly that!" Cece countered.

Jess shrugged awkwardly. "Maybe he wants to…make sure I'm…happy? I don't know." She narrowed her eyes at her best friend. "You sure have been spending a lot of time with Schmidt lately. You even had coffee yesterday morning. What about Robbie?"

Cece waved the accusation away. "Schmidt and I are just friends, and Robbie is fine. It's nice to be friends with an ex, and heaven knows Schmidt could use more real friends. So could I. Neither of us is willing to open up to very many people, you know? So we're here for each other."

Jess gasped. "You still love him!"

The model scowled. "No, I don't. Shut up."

"Ha!" Jess crowed. "You do! You love Schmidt!" she sang out as they left the café to head back to the loft.

Cece just rolled her eyes. "I will admit to caring for Schmidt if it will get you to stop singing about it, loudly, in public. But I'm not _in love_ with him – like you are with Nick!"

Jess abruptly stopped singing as her eyes got huge. "CECE! NO! That is…that is FALSE! And untrue!"

Cece smirked as they walked up to the apartment building. "Uh-huh."

Jess sputtered. "I'm serious! I mean, come on…I'm sleeping with…"

"Sam," Cece offered as they entered the building and stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for their floor.

"_I know his name, Cece_," Jess gritted her teeth. "Yes, Sam. Would I sleep with Sam if I was in love with Nick?"

"If you were in denial, you would," Cece replied as they exited the elevator and walked toward the loft.

"Ugh!" Jess cried. "I am not in love with Nick and _I am not in denial!"_ She paused, casting her eyes to the floor. "And even if I were in love with him…he's not in love with me, so it's a moot point."

Cece pursed her lips. "Well, this isn't fun anymore," she remarked as Jess unlocked the door to the loft, where they found Schmidt and Winston pretending not to have heard Jess' outburst in the hallway. "Guys, you are the worst actors I have ever seen, and I work with models who have asked me to read lines with them for soap opera auditions."

Schmidt popped up from the floor, where he'd been doing spontaneous push-ups as Winston gratefully sat down from his equally spontaneous deep lunges. "Man, I need to stretch the next time I try that," Winston breathed, collapsing on the couch.

Schmidt pointed to the jar on the end table. "Ten dollars, Jess, and I'm being generous because it's your first time!"

Cece rolled her eyes. "Schmidt, don't be ridiculous. You can't make Jess put money in the jar for having feelings for Nick. They're just feelings. She hasn't done anything."

He gaped at her. "I have to put money in the jar for my feelings all the time!"

Winston sat up. "That's because you constantly tell us what you're feeling, and it's almost always disgusting." He scooted over on the couch so there was room for all four of them to sit.

"Jess," Cece asked gently, "this thing with Sam, it's not like you. And we're all worried about you needing to spend time with one guy to sleep with another – it's like needing to get drunk before sex. So we're concerned—" she glanced at the guys, who nodded their agreement, "—that this isn't a good thing for you. I mean, if you're happy, great, keep it up – but at you?"

Jess sniffled, causing both Winston and Schmidt to look like they were about to run away until Cece glared at them. "I mean, I like Sam well enough, you know? He's so hot, and we have a good time…we even talk a little bit now before we…make the beast with—'

"No," all three of them interrupted her.

"Fine," she huffed. "Before we…do it. And I know there's nothing there, emotionally. It is what it is. I knew going into it that there wouldn't be an emotional connection. But I feel bad because when we're together…" she sighed. "I'm thinking about Nick."

"Gross," shuddered Schmidt.

"Says the man who wants to see Nick's penis," Winston muttered darkly.

Jess glanced down at her clasped hands. "I didn't even realize I was doing it until he brought up the whole 'fluffer' thing!"

Winston looked guilty. "Yeah, my bad on that one."

She glared at him. "Well, thanks a lot! I mean, I've always been attracted to him – you're all attractive in your own way—"

"In our _own_ _way_?"Schmidt hissed angrily.

"—but we had that fight, and then we got everything out in the open – well, not everything, I guess, since I didn't tell him how I feel about him, but I didn't _know—"_

"Speed it up, Jess," Winston implored.

"—and we both agreed it would never work between us, and it's true, it's _so true_, and that's why I'm still sleeping with Sam!" Jess cried emphatically. "Nick and I are so different that it would never, ever work. We'd just fight all the time. And we both agreed on that. Then he gave me his sexy mix CD—"

"There is nothing sexy about that CD," Schmidt said, shaking his head. Cece glared at him for interrupting, even though she agreed.

"—and told me to use it with Sam. So obviously he doesn't feel the same way," Jess finished, out of breath.

"Who said it first?" Winston questioned.

"What?" Jess asked blankly.

"I know Nick," he remarked. "He's big on denial and running as far as he can in the other direction if he thinks something is one-sided. So who said it first that it wouldn't work between the two of you?"

"I did," she admitted. "We were arguing about him being my fluffer—" - and here Winston looked guilty again – "—and I told him I'd thought about us being together and that it would never work, and he agreed."

"Well, of course he agreed!" Schmidt exploded. "Anything else would have been suicide! In that situation, you agree, no matter how you really feel. Just like I did with Cece after her pregnancy scare, before we started dating."

Winston nodded his agreement, while Cece chose to ignore them and focus on Jess. "I thought you broke up with Russell because he wouldn't argue with you and you needed more passion in a relationship. Now you're saying you can't be with Nick because there would be too much arguing, and therefore passion? I'm confused."

"Yeah, Jess – does my boy have too much passion in his pants? Because he's not afraid to show it!" Schmidt crowed excitedly. "I've been wanting to use that for so long."

"Jar," Winston, Cece, and Jess all replied in unison.

He grumbled as he picked through his wallet and deposited several bills into the jar.

"Where is Nick, by the way?" Jess asked, glancing around the loft as she dried her damp eyes with her sleeve. "It's weird for him not to be here on a Saturday afternoon."

"He's working the day shift today," Winston answered, handing her a tissue. "He's helping train the new guy they hired last week, and he gets the night off in return. He'll be off at 5." He checked his watch. "Oh, it's almost four already and I told him this morning that we'd come by when you two got back – he must be wondering what happened to us." He pulled out his phone. "Yup, I have a 'where are you' text from half an hour ago."

Schmidt grabbed his own phone. "I don't. I'm wounded! Why didn't I get a text? Am I not also his bro?"

"I'll let that one go," Winston said, standing up, "because you just put money in. But that's your only freebie for the rest of the weekend. Are we ready?"

"I think so," Cece replied, pulling Jess to her feet. "Are you okay now, sweetie?"

Jess nodded, smoothing her blue dress and red sweater, before turning to the guys. "So you think…you think he was lying when he said we shouldn't be together?"

"It's very likely," Winston promised, guiding her to the door ahead of the others. "I told him to set boundaries – I told him not to build you a dresser, for God's sake – and what did he do? He built you a damned dresser."

"No offense, Jess, you're like a sister to me, but I would not build you a dresser under any circumstances," Schmidt added.

"For once, we're on the same page," Winston agreed.

Jess looked thoughtful. "I'm having crazy wild sex with Sam, and I don't think he would either."

"This is just my opinion," Cece began, "but I don't like this thing with you and Sam. I'm all for you trying new things, but if you want to pursue this thing with Nick, it's time to let Sam go." She cocked her head to one side. "You do want to pursue something with Nick, right?"

Jess shifted her weight from one foot to the other as everyone piled into the elevator. "I don't know. I'm scared. If I were absolutely sure about how he felt…"

"I'm pretty sure he wants to get you out of that dress," Schmidt assured her.

"JAR," Winston yelled, as they exited the elevator and walked out onto the street.

"The jar's not even here! It's in the loft!"

"Then give me the money and I'll hold onto it."

Schmidt exasperatedly handed Winston a ten-dollar bill. "I'm out of smaller bills," he complained.

"Stop being a douche, then," Winston grinned, pocketing the money.

Jess rolled her eyes as they walked down the street to the bar. "I know he's attracted to me – we both admitted as much to each other already. I'm talking about real romantic feelings – _relationship-y_ feelings. Completely different issue."

"He hates every guy you date," Cece pointed out optimistically. "Jealousy implies feelings."

Jess shook her head. "He loved Russell."

"_Everyone_ loved Russell," Schmidt interjected.

"He wanted to _be_ Russell," Winston argued. "And Russell was dating you. So what does that tell you?"

Cece thought for a minute. "Maybe he thought Russell was good for you. He has terrible self-esteem issues, right? He probably thinks he's not good enough for you."

Jess looked hopeful. "And Sam?"

"Is not your boyfriend," Cece offered. "Nick knows you're just scratching an itch with Sam."

"Wow," Schmidt breathed as they entered the bar. "You really do have the wisdom of a thousand white women."

As Cece rolled her eyes (with a poorly-concealed smile), Jess hissed, "Okay, we are _not_ talking about this at Nick's bar." She looked toward the bar but didn't see him – he was probably in the back grabbing something. "Or anywhere near him. I think we're done for now. Good conversation, everyone!"

They sat down, and Cece took Jess' hand. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes," Jess answered. She glanced at the bar again – Nick was back, serving a few regulars. "And I'm going to end it with Sam." She frowned. "What's the protocol for breaking up with your booty call?"

"I'd suggest leaving the phrases 'break-up' and 'booty call' out of it altogether," Winston recommended.

"Might I suggest a carefully-worded text message?" Schmidt answered. "That's how most guys handle it."

Jess was horrified. "But that's so mean!"

Winston shook his head. "What's mean is trying to do it in person, panicking, and saying all the wrong things so you wind up making the girl cry – or hit you. You might be pissed off to get that text message, but are you going to cry over it? Remember, it's not a real relationship, so it's not a real break-up."

She frowned again. "I guess. I still don't like it, but I don't want to make an idiot of myself, either." She took out her phone. "What do I say?"

As Schmidt dictated to her, Cece nudged her. "Don't send that – he just walked in and he's coming over. You'll have to do it in person. _Privately_, please."

"Keep it short and simple," Winston advised.

"Also, don't sing," Schmidt ordered.

"You'll be fine," Cece soothed. "Just relax. It'll be fine."

Jess exhaled nervously as she stood up to greet Sam, who looked _really_ hot. "Hi, Sam! How are you? Let's go somewhere private!"

Sam grinned. "Awesome idea. Bathroom or back to your place?" he asked, clearly misunderstanding.

Winston, Schmidt, and Cece all gave each other horrified glances as Jess' eyes went wide in a panic. "What? No! We're not having sex – I'm breaking up with you!" She immediately clamped her hands over her mouth.

_THUNK_, went three heads as they hit the table.

"Oh," Sam replied, his grin replaced by an unhappy expression. He glanced at the booth, at the three inhabitants studiously avoiding his gaze. "Yeah, I can see why you'd want privacy for that sort of thing…"

"Oh, my God, Sam, I am _so_ sorry," Jess said, mortified. "I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

He nodded. "I figured. But you do want to stop hanging out?" he confirmed, obviously displeased.

"Um…yes," she replied, "it's nothing against you – I think you're great, best sex of my life—"

—_THUNK, THUNK—_

"—but I think it would be better if we stopped, um—"

"No, Jess," Schmidt whispered urgently.

"—boning?" Jess tried.

_THUNK. THUNK. THUNK._

Sam glanced down at the booth, then back at Jess. "I mean, I guess if that's what you need, then, okay." He gave her a faint grin. "It was pretty good though, right?"

"Yes, yes it was," Jess agreed readily, not entirely sure how to proceed—

"_Jess!_" Winston hissed. "_Focus!_"

"But the truth is I have feelings for someone else and that means sleeping with you is wrong even if he might not feel the same way," she said quickly.

"Well, I guess that makes sense," Sam agreed. "Look, I hope it works out. Text me if it doesn't." He started to walk away, then turned back. "This totally explains why you keep calling me 'Nick' during sex," he said thoughtfully, before walking to the exit.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jess was as red as a tomato as she slid back into the booth. "Oh, my god, you guys," she whispered. "I had no idea I said Nick's name while we were—"

"Don't say it," Winston interrupted.

"Ugh!" Jess whisper-shouted, her coloring slowly returning to her normal pale shade. "I'm terrible!"

"Well, it's over now," Cece consoled her. "You can concentrate on what's important. Like telling Nick how you feel about him."

"Hopefully in a less ridiculous manner than the one in which you ended it with Sam," Schmidt added, shuddering. "Because that was painful to watch. And I've seen pregnant strippers." He paused for effect. "Pregnant. Strippers. Giving _birth_."

"Enough, Schmidt," Cece scowled. "There's no reason to make her feel bad about it. It's done."

"Feel worse about what?" Nick asked, plopping down next to Jess after handing out the drinks they hadn't bothered to order - beers for Schmidt and Winston, a martini for Cece, and a glass of pink wine for Jess.

"Jess just ended things with Sam," Winston informed him. Everyone looked to Nick to gauge his reaction.

Nick turned to Jess. "You did? What happened? I though you liked the whole casual thing you guys had going on."

Jess gulped her wine and coughed embarrassedly as her cheeks turned the color of her drink. "Um...I guess it just wasn't working for me anymore?"

"Did something happen?" he pushed, his brown eyes full of concern. Suddenly, his face turned angry as he grabbed her hand that rested on the table. "Did he hurt you? Or upset you? Was he seeing someone else?" It was worth noting that he never showed this much concern for the well-being of his other roommates post-breakup - much to Schmidt's chagrin.

"No!" Jess burst out. "I just want more, okay? I tried the casual thing and it didn't work for me. I need the emotional connection."

Schmidt, Cece, and Winston watched the exchange, their eyes traveling back and forth as Jess removed her hand from Nick's grasp to take another gulp of her drink.

"Oh," he answered, turning back to his beer. His expression was contemplative as he spent the next few minutes making conversation with the others. He finally drained his glass of water - he was still working, after all - and stood up. "Well, I need to finish up behind the bar," he sighed, stretching before grabbing the empties. "I should be off in another half-hour, though, if you guys want to wait for me."

"Sure, bro!" Schmidt replied, doing some kind of ridiculous hand motion that only he could decipher. "We'll be here!"

"Stop calling people 'bro,'" Winston ordered him, as Nick walked back to the bar to finish his shift.

Cece smiled encouragingly at Jess. "That was pretty good, Jess! You kept your cool for the most part - I'm proud of you!"

"Yeah, I've definitely seen you do a lot worse," Schmidt offered in a similar tone of voice, as Cece scowled again at his choice of words.

Winston glanced up from his phone. "Shelby wants to hang out tonight, but I feel like things will go better if we do a group thing before I try to make my move," he said thoughtfully. "Anyone up for pizza and beer at the loft? Maybe a movie?"

"That sounds nice!" Jess answered brightly. "I love when we have family night at home!" She turned to her best friend. "What about you, Cece?"

"I'm in," Cece answered, flipping her hair over her shoulder and pretending not to look at Schmidt. "Robbie has a thing with his friends tonight."

Schmidt pretended not to be thrilled as he scrolled through his texts. "Well, I do have a date scheduled with a tall, beautiful, _young_ blonde—," he glanced up to check Cece's reaction, but she had a carefully disinterested expression plastered across her features - "but I suppose I could cancel. Family nights are important, after all. Plus, if Winston needs our help to get laid, then we should all be there for him!"

Everyone rolled their eyes, but Jess could briefly see a relieved look pass across Cece's face. She wondered how much longer it would take Cece to break up with poor, unsuspecting Robbie - if she hadn't secretly done so already - and give in to Schmidt's "charms." She loved them both, but geez - it was frustrating to watch. Maybe this was how everyone else felt watching herself and Nick. No wonder they were so quick to help!

Soon enough, Nick was back at their booth. "What's the plan?" he asked no one in particular. "I've had enough of this bar today, personally."

"Helping Winston get laid!" Schmidt chirped happily. as they all stood up and headed towards the exit.

"Jar," they all said in unison, before Winston explained the plan while Cece smacked Schmidt with her purse.

As they walked back to the loft, Jess found herself next to Nick, their arms touching slightly. "So you're okay?" he asked her, concerned again. "We're not breaking out 'Dirty Dancing' tonight, are we?"

Jess laughed. "I'm fine, I promise. It was an interesting experiment, but...ultimately, I guess I'm just a relationship girl, you know? Hearts and flowers and chocolate, that sort of thing."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Guess I should tell the next guy you bring home to break out the roses and Godiva, huh?"

She tried to tell him that he was the next guy - and the last guy - she planned on bringing home, but the words didn't come. She shrugged awkwardly. "Guess so."

At the loft, Nick jumped in the shower to wash the bar off of him, while Winston checked in with Shelby and Schmidt started going through their DVD collection before picking out several for the group to decide on. The girls retired to Jess' room to hang out until Shelby arrived so they could all agree on pizza toppings and movie choices.

"So," Jess began, eyes narrowed at her friend sprawled across her bed. "Are you even still dating Robbie? Or is your relationship with him just a ruse to make Schmidt jealous?"

"Jess!" Cece hissed, jumping up to pull the slightly ajar door closed. "Keep your voice down!'

"Aha!" Jess cried. "So you're not dating him. And you love Schmidt. You _lo-o-o-ove_ him!"

"Mature, Jess," Cece replied, annoyed, throwing her long body back down on the bed. Jess joined her on the other side, curling a blanket around herself.

"Well? What's the story?" she pressed.

Cece sighed. "He's one of my roomates' brothers. I asked him to come to Schmidt's party with me so I wouldn't have to go alone like a loser in case he was there with someone."

"But he wasn't there with someone - he even tried to get you back. Why keep up the false pretense?"

"Robbie was already there with me, and I was still upset with him," she shrugged. "And he dumped me, after spying on my texts and telling me he doesn't trust me. I wasn't ready to let him off the hook. Do you blame me?"

Jess squinted. "A little bit, yeah."

Cece huffed. "Well, it made me feel less miserable, okay? He hurt me a lot. It made sense at the time."

"So tell him the truth now," Jess suggested. "Or if that's too embarrassing, say you broke up with Robbie. Whatever. Stop perpetuating a lie and be with the man you love!"

Cece glared. "I'm not going to be the first one to break."

"That's ridiculous," Jess scoffed. "He already tried to get you back at the party! And I guarantee if you tell him about Robbie, he'll do it again. Stop being so stubborn."

"He didn't trust me then, and he doesn't trust me now," Cece insisted.

"Well, to be fair, you are lying about a fake boyfriend now," Jess pointed out.

Cece sighed. "Let's just change the subject, okay? What were you and Nick talking about on the way home?"

"It was so awkward," Jess answered unhappily. "He wanted to know if I was really okay, and I said I was, I just decided I was a relationship girl. Hearts and flowers and chocolates." She sighed. "I was hoping he'd take the bait, you know? But he just said, 'Guess I should tell the next guy you bring home to break out the roses and Godiva, then.'"

"Maybe he was talking about himself," Cece suggested. She tilted her head to the side and frowned. "He knows what kind of flowers and chocolate you like?"

"Oh, I told him once, after Paul got me carnations and a Ferrero Rocher sampler before one of our dates. It was a sweet gesture, but I told Nick I don't like fluffy flowers or nuts in my candy...and then for my birthday he got me white roses and raspberry-and-marshmallow dark chocolate truffles from Godiva."

"You told him you liked those things specifically?" Cece asked.

"No," Jess shook her head, "he just seemed to know."

Cece gave her a pointed look. "Did he pass the information on to Russell?"

"No," she answered thoughfully, remembering. "I guess not. Russell only ever bought me those fancy calla lilies and expensive Swiss chocolates from somewhere I can't remember the name of." She scrunched her nose. "I didn't like them, though. I think they were milk chocolate, and some of them had nuts. And you know I don't like calla lilies - they remind me too much of a—"

"Vagina, I know. You mention it every time you see one. Sadie even keeps them at her office now. But if he didn't tell Russell, I can't see him telling anyone else," Cece decided. "Russell was his hero. I really think he meant himself. Like maybe now that you're both single, he's ready to make a move."

Jess looked hopeful. "You really think so?"

Cece nodded. "But I still think you should tell him how you feel, or you could be waiting awhile. Just play it cool and it'll be fine."

When the girls entered the living room, they discovered that Shelby had arrived with two bottles of wine - a white and a rose - for the three of them to share, and Winston and Schmidt were arguing over pizza toppings with Nick refereeing.

"Boys!" Jess yelled in her best former-teacher voice. "That's enough. There are six of us - obviously we're getting more than one pizza—"

"That's what I've been trying to tell them!" Nick interrupted, Turtle Face out in full force.

Jess glared at him. "So let's discuss this like adults. Schmidt, what toppings do you want?"

"Sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and black olives. Half with pepperoni." He cast his gaze towards his ex-girlfriend. "Cece doesn't like pepperoni."

Cece steadfastly ignored him, and Jess pressed onward. "Fine. That sounds good for pizza number one. Winston?"

"Canadian bacon, sausage, extra cheese, and green peppers," he rattled off. "That's what Shelby and I always get, and I like to keep my girl happy." Shelby smiled at him, snuggling up to his side - maybe Family Night was helping him out after all.

"Fine," Jess nodded, and turned to Nick again. "What do you want?"

When his eyes met hers, she immediately regretted not adding 'on your pizza.' Even though he was physically across the room, it felt like he was touching her with his eyes. Which sounded gross, but felt...nice. "I want whatever you want," he answered, mostly likely aware of the double meaning behind his words. Jess hoped no one saw her slight shiver, but geez, what could you expect?

"What about you, Jess?" Cece prodded with a knowing smirk. "What do you want?"

"Um," Jess replied, feeling awkward and wanting to bring the conversation back to pizza. "I guess Nick and I can just eat from both pizzas. So we're all good? Great. Schmidt, go order the pizzas." She dashed to the bathroom to hide and possibly puke.

By the time she felt ready to come back out, the pizza had arrived, the wine had been poured, beers were on the table, and two movies had been decided on - both comedies. Schmidt told Jess the titles, but she tuned him out completely upon discovering the seating arrangements. Winston had taken the end of the couch with Shelby snuggled in his lap, Schmidt was next to them with hardly any space separating himself and Cece - both feigning disinterest in each other - and at the other end of the couch from Winston sat Nick. In front of the small space between himself and Cece sat a glass of pink wine. So she was expected to shimmy into that tiny space, hmm? They should really think about getting a bigger couch. Or a LoveSac. Or anything that would not force her to sit almost on top of Nick and totally embarrass herself.

Silently, Jess squished her way between Nick and Cece, glaring at the latter, because she could easily scoot over an inch or two towards Schmidt if she really wanted to. Cece just smirked and shrugged, which just pushed Jess further into Nick, who for his part was not complaining or even turtle-facing.

As the hours went by, Jess made an effort to pay attention to first one movie and then another.- even the third one that Schmidt had insisted on after Winston and Shelby left for her apartment. However, she could no more tell you the names of the films or summarize the plots than she could recite pi from memory. It's just that the man next to her was so warm and smelled so good and was sitting so close to her that she could focus on nothing else.

As the credits rolled after the third movie, Cece yawned and stretched, accidentally hitting Schmidt in the face. "Well, I'm exhausted," she announced. "And drunk. Jess, can I stay with you tonight?"

"Of course, Cece," she answered, still trying to clear her head of the Nick-fog. "You go ahead and crash - I think I'm still too wound up from, um, the last movie. I'm gonna change and watch TV for a bit, I think." She hurried into her bedroom with Cece hot on her heels.

"Wound up, huh?" Cece slurred, grinning as Jess changed into white pajamas with a yellow duckling pattern. She followed her into the bathroom and watched as Jess went through her nightly routine. "I know another way to say that!" she sang out in a perfect imitation of Jess.

"Cece!" Jess hissed, pausing to listen for any sign the guys were lurking outside the door. "Ugh. I'm just not ready to go to sleep yet, okay?"

The girls nearly ran smack into Schmidt and Nick upon opening the door. "God, Jess," Schmidt whined, "you're hogging the bathroom and I need to moisturize! This man-beauty doesn't happen on its own, you know!" He turned to Cece. "Cecelia, would you like to borrow my moisturizer?"

"Sure, whatever," Cece answered, drunkenly stumbling back into the bathroom before the guys caught her and helped her stand up straight again.

Jess rolled her eyes and scooted past all three of them to the kitchen. The girls had managed to kill both bottles of wine earlier, so Jess settled for some chamomile tea with extra honey. Thankfully, the loft was finally quiet and no one had followed her to the kitchen, so it was safe to assume everyone had finally gone to bed.

Imagine her surprise upon taking her tea to the living room to find Nick on the couch, remote in hand, apparently waiting for her. "What are we watching, Jess?" he asked, his expression indecipherable.

This wasn't even something she could blame on Cece. The universe, it seemed, really wanted her to deal with this Nick-thing tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Nick smiled at Jess as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Not ready to go to bed yet, either?" he asked as she set her mug down on the coffee table.

"Not really," she answered, settling in next to him and reaching for the blanket she kept along the back of the couch. "Better to wait for Cece to fall asleep anyway - she'll talk my ear off before she crashes."

"You probably don't want to be in there right now," Nick recommended. "Schmidt helped her into bed and she asked him to stay until she falls asleep, so I'm pretty sure your bed will be full by the time you're ready to go to bed."

Jess was horrified. "You don't think Schmidt would...and in my bed..."

He shook his head. "Schmidt is gross, but he wouldn't take advantage of Cece when she's drunk. Or in your bed." He smirked. "Don't be surprised to find his drool on your pillow, though."

"Ugh," she shuddered. "What's on TV?"

Nick flipped through various infomercials before finding a late-night replay of Conan. As Jess curled up under the blanket, Nick's arm went around her and he pulled her closer to snuggle into his side. She tensed briefly before relaxing into him - if this was what the universe wanted, who was she to argue? Plus, he was warm and cuddly and smelled like Old Spice; it was too hard not to give in.

After a few minutes of Jess trying to covertly sniff him - she really was a sucker for that Old Spice, it got her every time - she felt him shift and she glanced up to find him watching her. "Comfortable?" he asked, smiling down at her a little.

"Hmm? Yes," she answered, finally relaxed for the first time since lunch and thinking that body pillow manufacturers would make a fortune if they could market a 'Nick' line - it would be made of flannel, smell like Old Spice, be firm and soft in all the right places, and maybe they could somehow get it to talk with a Chicago accent and have a Turtle Face stitched on it—

"So you seemed weird earlier," he commented, tugging a lock of her hair. "Nervous, one might say?"

Jess sat up. "Would one really say that? I wouldn't. Pssh, no. I was _extremely_ normal. I've never been that normal in my life."

"Really?" he asked her, his smile growing. "I don't know, it seems like something's going on with you. Do you want to talk about it?" He took her hand, rubbing his thumb across her palm, making her shiver slightly. "One friend to another, you know?"

It was at this moment that Jess realized that Nick knew. He was being unusually pleasant, overtly affectionate, and he had just asked her to share her feelings - something he never, ever did with anyone. He didn't even seem too concerned about her spastic behavior. So he absolutely, definitely _knew_.

And he was letting her suffer anyway.

What. A. Buttface.

On the bright side, knowing that he knew did make things a little bit easier, especially since he was still there and was being nice to her. Jess squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. "Nick, I—"

She was interrupted by his lips on hers, one hand cupping her face and the other one in her hair, his fingers twisting through the locks. Jess was too shocked to mind being cut off and almost didn't kiss him back - almost.

Nick pulled back first, his fingers stroking her cheek. "I'm sorry, Jess," he said, shaking his head and grinning at her. "I was trying to hold out a little longer so you could talk, but I just couldn't help it." He let his hand fall from her face and trailed his fingers down her arm, making her shiver again. "Go ahead and say what you were about to say. I'm listening."

Jess was speechless. He kissed her. Nick Miller had _kissed_ her, for the first time _ever_, and now he was waiting for her to bear her heart to him. There was still a chance that he didn't really feel the same way - yes, he had kissed her, but he had just admitted a week ago that he found her attractive - and he hadn't said he had feelings for her, let alone mentioned love. Or even that he liked her, really.

He leaned in again, cutting off her thought pattern, his breath on her neck making her close her eyes and giving her the twirls. "If it helps any," he whispered, his mouth touching her ear, "I already know. Schmidt couldn't take the pressure and told me in the bathroom. Cece hit him, so I knew he was telling the truth."

Jess wanted to be angry at Schmidt, she really did - and she would be, later - but right then she was more focused on Nick's lips at the sensitive spot behind her ear. "So...so I don't need to say it, then?" she tried, her voice cracking.

Nick stopped, leaning back, his brown eyes meeting her blue ones. "I want to hear it from you, Jess." He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. "Just say it. You'll feel better."

Jess summoned all her courage as she took both of his hands in hers, squeezing them for support. "Nick, I'm in love with you," she whispered, her eyes never leaving his. "I want you - not Sam or anybody else. And if anyone is going to bring me Godiva and roses - which is absolutely not a requirement, by the way, I just want to make that clear - but...you're the only one I want those things from." She let out a deep breath. "So...yeah. You and me. Just putting it out there, in case you feel, you know - similarly."

He squeezed her hands back, grinning. "There, don't you feel better?" he asked.

She glared at him, yanking her hands away. "_That's_ what you say to me right now? I just poured my heart out to you, jerk!"

He laughed as she crossed her arms across her chest, still scowling. "You don't think I'm a jerk - you love me!" His expression grew more tender as he pulled her into his arms. "And that's good, because I love you. Like crazy."

Jess' eyes filled with tears and she sniffled. "Really?"

"Yup," he answered, smiling at her again. She burrowed her face into his neck. He was right - she did feel better. And exhausted.

"I think I'd better go to bed," she said sadly, not wanting to leave him now that he was actually hers. "Did Schmidt ever come out of my room?"

"I don't think so," Nick responded, pulling her up off the couch. "Let's go investigate."

They creeped toward her room and opened the door slowly. Jess gasped - Schmidt and Cece were spooning, fast asleep, with Cece as the big spoon curled around Schmidt.

"Aww," Jess crooned in a whisper. "That's adorable! Even if they are in my bed." She sighed and turned to Nick. "I guess I'll just sleep on the couch tonight."

Nick shook his head. "That couch is terrible on your back. Just sleep with me."

Her eyes went wide at the potential implications and he immediately realized what he'd said. "I mean, sleep - in my bed - and I'd be there too," he clarified, turning slightly red and rubbing the back of his neck. "G-rated, I promise. PG, maybe." He considered it. "PG-13, tops."

Jess blushed scarlet at his last statement. "Well, I guess I would rather sleep in a bed than on the couch. Not that it's the only reason. I'm sure you're a great sleeping partner!"

Nick smirked as he led her across the hallway. "Oh, I am. I'm the best sleeping partner around. Now get into bed and cover your eyes - I'm shy ever since a certain someone laughed at my naked body."

"Nick!" she exclaimed, climbing into bed and dutifully shielding her eyes as he pulled off his jeans and flannel, letting him slide in beside her in his boxers and undershirt. "I only laughed because I was nervous about your bing-bong being out! Every girl is nervous the first time they see a guy naked."

He wrapped himself around her. "Jess, we need to get something straight here. I do not have a 'bing-bong.' I have a _penis_. It's manly and not ridiculous at all. So get used to my penis, because I'm sure you'll find it trying to get acquainted with you in the morning before I wake up." He paused. "Please don't laugh at it."

Jess giggled. "Will there be Jamaican music this time?"

He kissed her hair as he pulled her closer. "No. Go to sleep, Jess."

"Do you think Schmidt and Cece are back together now?" she asked, ignoring him.

"I don't know. We'll find out tomorrow. Go to sleep, it's really late."

There was a brief silence, and then: "I wonder what happened with Winston and Shelby after they left. They're so sweet together—"

"Jess. Sleep. _Now_."

Finally, there was peace and quiet. Nick relaxed and closed his eyes, drifting off to a deserted island where Jess couldn't find a single swimsuit.

"Do—"

"Jess, so help me, I will make you sleep on the couch."

Ah, blissful silence.


End file.
